p. 85 | ILLINOIS CAMP-MEETING by Joseph Harvey Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 6, 1877

ILLINOIS CAMP-MEETING.

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

The Illinois Camp-meeting was a success in every respect. It was well attended by the churches in the State. There was a blending of the doctrinal and practical in all the preaching, and the prayer and social meetings were characterized from first to last by deep devotional feeling. We do not say that it could not be improved in some respects, but we think all parties look back to it with satisfaction and gratitude.

The grounds were not large, just large enough for a meeting of that size, lacking convenience for teams. The water was decidedly bad, and not easy of access. The ground was so thickly set with young timber that it looked like an impossibility to set so many tents there, but when all was arranged, neat and clean, the trees seemed to add to the beautiful effect. A lady from Clinton said, “This looks like paradise!”

The people of Clinton and the surrounding country were entirely ignorant of us as a people, the present truth not having been preached there. Having heard reports of the Adventists as a wild fanatical set, they were free to express their disappointment. We were informed that some known as “rowdies” had regularly organized their forces to invade the camp, and many of the citizens expected the meeting would be broken up, but there was no disturbance. The most disorderly of the place returned with the report that there was no chance for “a time” on that ground. On Sunday morning, a collection was offered by prominent citizens, and taken up by themselves, and though the sum collected was not large, it was gratifying as an expression of their good will. The hope was freely expressed that next year’s camp-meeting would be held with them, and that our views might be preached there more fully.

In response to a call for the unconverted and for backsliders a goodly number came forward, about twenty of whom desired baptism. At the early meeting on Monday morning some remarks were made on baptism, mostly in answer to questions which had been proposed, and the result was that twenty-six were baptized, about half of them making their first start in the Christian life there, and most of them new in the faith.

Almost everything in the meeting did credit to the cause there except the singing. An organ was used, but it failed of the desired effect; time seemed to be utterly disregarded.

It is a pleasure to record the fact that in the last three camp-meetings I have attended there has been an entire absence of that light spirit of singing which is so apt to intrude itself into these meetings, and which is so destructive to true devotion. At a camp-meeting, I once gave out a common metre hymn, requesting that it be sung in the tune given in our book—a beautiful plain piece of church music, and not new. I was greatly surprised when the leader stated they could not sing it, for the same company would sing by the hour in their tents the most difficult pieces in the Sunday-school books with which the land now abounds. Many of the pieces in these books are pleasant to the ear as singing exercises, but often both the words and music are better adapted to religious dissipation than to real devotion. All our people should cultivate a taste for pure church music.

The meeting in Illinois was marked by the number of credentials and licenses issued. Every licentiate should set his mark for success, and if even a majority of these succeed a great work in Illinois will be the result. Who will succeed? who will fail? These are questions soon to be determined by results.

The number in attendance in Illinois was not nearly as large as in Indiana and Ohio, but some came a long distance, and considering that nothing was known of our faith in that country the interest was remarkable; second only to that in Newark, where the people were prepared for the meeting by faithful and judicious tract work. We have been strongly impressed this summer with the fact that God is giving us both the ears and hearts of the people. Our privileges and responsibilities are fast increasing. Great victories lie before us in this truth, for a great work is yet to be done. They who work in faith and in humility will see the salvation of God. Yet the opposition will be strong, and it is organizing itself. Several teachers who have heretofore had no difficulty in taking schools have informed us that now they are rejected solely on the ground that they are Adventists, although they do not intrude their views into the schools. It is a noteworthy fact that Catholics are not thus rejected, but are largely employed as teachers throughout the country, though they are known to be opposed to our system of common schools, and are proverbial for proselyting among children.

“Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”

J. H. Waggoner.

Loveland, O., Aug. 29, 1877.